iOS5, iCloud, and iTunes Match

**Matt D** · 06-06-2011, 21:58

Apple used today's WWDC to announce iOS5, iCloud, and iTunes Match. They're due this "Fall", so will presumably be launched after the inevitable "iPod Event" in September... which this year will in all likelihood also feature the iPhone 5, in addition to the usual iPod Touch update, due to the lack of hardware announcements at WWDC 2011.

iOS 5

Notification Centre - At last, a decent notification system, along with lock screen alerts.
iMessage - Messaging service for all iOS5 users. Send unlimited text messages over WiFi or 3G from your iOS5 iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch to anyone else with an iOS5 iDevice.
Newsstand - Custom newsstand for all your newspaper abd magazine app sybscriptions.
Reminders - To-do list reminders.
Twitter - Systemwide Twitter integration.
Camera - Improved interface & features.
Photos - Edit photos from within the Photos app.
Safari - Safari Reader displays articles without ads or clutter, plus iPad's Safari now has tabs.
PC Free - No longer do you need a computer to use an iDevice. Now you can activate and set up wirelessly, backup wirelessly, and perform iOS updates wirelessly. Finally iDevices are independent.
Mail, Calendar, Game Centre - Various updates.
WiFi Sync - Wirelessly sync and backup over WiFi to your Mac/PC.
Multitasking Gestures for iPad
AirPlay Mirroring for iPad 2
Accessibility

iCloud

Goodbye MobileMe ($99/year), hello iCloud (free).

Cloud storage and WiFi syncing for your photos, music, apps, calendars, email, contacts, documents...

Contacts, Calendar, Email

Photo Stream

Apps, Books, Documents, and Backup

iTunes in the Cloud - All music purchased on iTunes is automatically available on all your iDevices.

iTunes Match ($24.99 per year) - Like iTunes in the Cloud, but for music not purchased on iTunes (e.g. CD rips, music from alternate stores). Songs in your iTunes library are matched with the content of the iTunes Store and added to your iCloud library as 256kbps AACs. Cheaper than Amazon's cloud music offering, and unlike Amazon & Google, it does not require you to upload your music collection - it's just a case of "scan and match".

----------------------

Big ones for me:

Notification Centre - removes one of my remaining reasons to Jailbreak.

iMessage - What will the networks think?

PC Free - Finally! It's about time that you could use an iDevice without having to also have a computer.

WiFi Sync - Finally!

iCloud - At last, MobileMe has been replaced with something free *and* better. $99 per year for things you could get for free was a bit cheeky IMO. Although having a Google account means I have no need of the Mail/Contact/Calendar sync, I'll certainly make use of the Document syncing and other features. Bit of a kick in the nuts for Dropbox, I think. No need to use that now on an iDevice if you can have a fully integrated cloud solution...

**Chris** · 06-06-2011, 22:18

Having a Mac and an iPad, I'm very grateful for the coming iCloud. I use MobileMe (rely on it, in fact), and have done so since the last time it was free.

On the subject of iOS 5... How does that work? Do you have to buy the upgrade as you would with OSX?

**Matt D** · 06-06-2011, 22:33

iOS updates are free.

They've always been free for the iPhone and iPad. iOS updates for the iPod Touch used to be Â£9.99 (IIRC), but have been free from iOS4 onwards.

I can't see why Apple would change that for iOS5...

**Chris** · 06-06-2011, 22:44

Well, it looks like I am going to have to manually sign up for iCloud. There is no automatic transition from MobileMe, although I get to keep my .mac and .me email addresses.

Before I sign up for iCloud I need to have iOS5 on the iPad and Lion on the Mac. Just as well iOS updates are free, otherwise the 'free' iCloud service would be costing me a fair bit to acquire.

**Stephen** · 07-06-2011, 08:27

So most of the iOS 'new' features have already been available on Android and even WebOS for ages. Nothing like Apple to try and add features that others have had for ages and claim they are amazing and brand new lol.

The only features I like is the Music Match, will be useful on my iPad, and no longer needing to connect to my Mac for updates.

WHS · 15-06-2011, 17:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt D

Apple used today's WWDC to announce iOS5, iCloud, and iTunes Match. They're due this "Fall", so will presumably be launched after the inevitable "iPod Event" in September... which this year will in all likelihood also feature the iPhone 5, in addition to the usual iPod Touch update, due to the lack of hardware announcements at WWDC 2011.

iOS 5

Notification Centre - At last, a decent notification system, along with lock screen alerts.
iMessage - Messaging service for all iOS5 users. Send unlimited text messages over WiFi or 3G from your iOS5 iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch to anyone else with an iOS5 iDevice.
Newsstand - Custom newsstand for all your newspaper abd magazine app sybscriptions.
Reminders - To-do list reminders.
Twitter - Systemwide Twitter integration.
Camera - Improved interface & features.
Photos - Edit photos from within the Photos app.
Safari - Safari Reader displays articles without ads or clutter, plus iPad's Safari now has tabs.
PC Free - No longer do you need a computer to use an iDevice. Now you can activate and set up wirelessly, backup wirelessly, and perform iOS updates wirelessly. Finally iDevices are independent.
Mail, Calendar, Game Centre - Various updates.
WiFi Sync - Wirelessly sync and backup over WiFi to your Mac/PC.
Multitasking Gestures for iPad
AirPlay Mirroring for iPad 2
Accessibility

Having played with iOS5 since it was available, I was quite disappointed with it. I'm normally impressed with Apple's offerings, but the only key features in my eyes are the WiFi back-up & the notification centre, but even these aren't amazing.

I only sync my iPhone when I want to add/remove songs, so I'm at the computer anyway. It's not difficult for me to plug in a cable, plus it charges it.

The notification centre is good, but I always read everything as I get it.

Considering this is a major update for the next 12 months (of course features will be added in 5.1 etc but these will be minor) I thought Apple would throw the kitchen sink at it and let Android play catch-up, but I feel Android might run away with it now..

Lord Nikon · 15-06-2011, 23:20

iMessage sounds very similar to blackberry messenger, and is already covered by Whatsapp messenger which is cross-platform for iphone, android, blackberry and nokia.

broadbandking · 16-06-2011, 10:58

I welcome all updates looking forward to seeing my Iphone 4 running iOS5

dilligaf1701 · 16-06-2011, 11:05

I am looking forward to trying out the new accessibility stuff on my iPad

**Matt D** · 16-06-2011, 19:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Nikon

iMessage sounds very similar to blackberry messenger, and is already covered by Whatsapp messenger which is cross-platform for iphone, android, blackberry and nokia.

It does sound similar to BBM in some ways.

I've never used Whatsapp, however I doubt it would have the integration that iMessage has.

iMessage will be part of the Messages app, which will handle that along with its existing SMS and MMS functions.

You just use Messages normally, and the iPhone sends the message via whatever the most appropriate means is. If the recipient has an iOS device, it will route it via iMessage, if not then it will use SMS. No messing around with separate apps for separate types of messaging (except for email of course).

alonsoalonsy · 22-06-2011, 13:29

Ok so I got the whole Apple iCloud make anything accessible on all your devices all the time thing, what I don't get is how the Apple iTunes Match thing really works.

I mean will I be able to use, together with the iCloud, that Apple iTunes Match thing to get all my non iTunes music I got from ripping cd's and other places to get them on all my devices as well?

Don't have to buy that music from iTunes again right?

**Matt D** · 22-06-2011, 18:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by alonsoalonsy

I mean will I be able to use, together with the iCloud, that Apple iTunes Match thing to get all my non iTunes music I got from ripping cd's and other places to get them on all my devices as well?

Don't have to buy that music from iTunes again right?

Correct.

Music purchased from iTunes: Available on all devices, for free, via iCloud's "iTunes in the Cloud".

Music not purchased from iTunes (e.g. CD rips): Available on all devices as matched 256kbps AACs, for a fee, via "iTunes Match".

**Stephen** · 22-06-2011, 19:56

Been using iOS 5 on my iPad 2 for a week now and it's pretty good even in beta. Have a good friend who let me on to his developer account

New tabbed browsing is great and loading of web pages seems much faster. Also really liking the new notifications and twitter integration.

The new Landscape split keyboard is nice too, although its taking a bit of getting used too.

**Matt D** · 16-12-2011, 01:05

iTunes Match has now launched in the UK.

It doesn't seem to be mentioned on the Apple website yet, but it is now out, and will appear on iTunes in the "Store" section in the middle of the left-hand side. I just clicked "No Thanks"

Jameseh · 16-12-2011, 02:49

Â£22 a year so you don't have to sync your CD rips, what a bargain.